Here's my theory:
The music (along with the plot, and the lyrics, and pretty much everything else) is endlessly simplistic, and therefore really, really easy to memorize. So, after listening to it once, huge groups of high- and middle-schoolers get together and watch the rather mediocre movie, and everyone sings along. It's not so much the movie that's good (because craft-wise it's not amazing by any stretch of the imagination), but it's a catalyst for parties.
It's like taking most of what people like about Andrew Lloyd Webber's music, making it possible for absolutely anyone to sing along with, and pricing it at 10-20 dollars for an endless amount of viewings as opposed to 75+ for one showing.
So it fits a niche. Intentionally or not, HSM gave a broad audience exactly what they wanted. That equals cash.
Personally, I enjoyed watching with a healthy mixture of laughing at its terrible moments and enjoying its good ones. I wouldn't buy the DVD though, because I don't want to encourage Disney to spend more of its money on things like this. While I can enjoy it a couple of times, I don't want to "vote with my dollar" for more of the same. Now, if we had a JRB-Disney collaboration, or Michael John LaChiusa-Disney... LOL.
And so, that's my High School Musical rant.
EDIT: But this is still on the wrong board.
"I could use a little...
Miracle."
~SWIWS
Updated On: 6/21/06 at 11:22 PM
